as Acou is a fairly pleasant album with a few interesting angles. After a short interlude, with a lone trumpet and some ambient chants and melodies, the title track starts in earnest, showing why Moon Far Away have earned a reputation as “The Russian Dead Can Dance“, as the vocal harmonies of multi-instrumentalist Count Ash and his counterpart (and lead singer) Leda intertwine during the chorus over a playful bass line from Zhigich and some loud percussion from Victorion, creating an ecstatic atmosphere that also pays tribute to their Russian roots.
Elsewhere, «Steel Light Love» highlights their more gothic leanings, with Count Ash taking the lead while Leda softly laments in the background for most of the song. On these three tracks, the band’s artistic strengths shine brightly, giving the impression that this is a classic neofolk for the ages.
The problem is that there are other songs here, and some of them lower the proceedings considerably. On «17 Years» an older singer sings partially off-key for over three minutes. Speaking of off-key, Count Ash’s voice on «Look, the Human Flocks…» remains monotonous, often clashing with Leda’s angelic vocals, and the song ends without developing into anything. But the biggest problem lies in «Soulofkey», which starts quite promisingly, with a haunting piano melody that burrows into your skull. Even so, it keeps burrowing, because aside from a few changes in the tonal elements, it keeps going and going and going for the song’s entire seven-minute runtime, losing all power and interest.
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At least Acou sounds wonderful in terms of production. Zhigich’s bass is dense and full, and Victorion’s percussion hits with the intensity his performances need. Even the traditional instruments, like the flute and trumpet, all ring out with a striking clarity that neofolk music sometimes lacks. If only the arrangements and performances were a little more cohesive overall, because when Acou shines, it does so with a brilliance few can match, and that’s no small feat.
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And that kills me, since I wanted to like Acou more than I do. When everyone is at their best, Acou is a thrilling album brimming with life and vitality. But the problems on some tracks keep my enjoyment low, and that’s a shame because Moon Far Away impressed me with their best tracks, and they give me a new band to check out in the future. However, there’s still plenty to like here, and if you like any of the bands I mentioned above, you could do much worse than what’s offered here.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook Release
dates : EU: 2026.03.13 | Not applicable: 27.03.2026
